Go Ask Alice
by Nikki Flinn
Summary: The heroes have returned triumphant and Wonderland is once again set to rights. So why does Ginny still feel the siren call of her old kingdom? Sequel to Alice is Bleeding
1. One Pill Makes You Larger

Go Ask Alice

Summary: Sequel to Alice Is Bleeding. Despite the budding relationship between Harry and Luna and the return of Alice to the safety of Hogwarts, Ginny has this horrible feeling that something is wrong...very very wrong.

Chapter One

One Pill Makes You Larger

Ginny watched Neville and Alice enviously.

It was three weeks since they had come home from Wonderland and Neville, thrilled that Alice was once again back at school, had immediately asked her out to the approval of Luna and Ginny both.

Luna and Harry were snuggling as well and Ginny's envy flared again. She knew she shouldn't be jealous but they were such a perfect pair and no one would ever object to their relationship. Unlike the one Ginny was after.

Ginny sighed, annoyed that she was thinking about him again.

In the three week since Wonderland, Harry and the others had been civil to Draco, which surprised the hell out of Ginny.

Ginny had been counting on things going back to normal in that regard but Draco didn't seem to want to let go of Ginny.

Not that Ginny really minded. It was nice being the one who was wanted but at the same time she knew just how impossible her life would be with Draco in it.

She shook those thoughts from her head. She had more pressing matters.

Like the fact that Wonderland was calling to her again.

She had been feeling the tremors in her for almost a week now. They had never left the entire time Alice was trapped there but they had disappeared when she brought Alice home.

So why now? Why was Wonderland calling to her? She didn't owe it anything. They tore down the old monarch.

Ginny got up and started walking from the Great hall, head down, deep in thought.

She didn't notice that the normal staircase that would lead her to the Gryffindor Common Room had changed until her foot missed a step. Expecting to step up, she was caught unaware as her foot fell through the air. Her balance gone, Ginny was quickly thinking up every spell that might be able to help her when the strong hand closed around her upper arm, pulling her back to safety.

She stumbled slightly but she was on firm footing right now. She looked around to see who had helped her, surprised beyond belief to see the frowning visage of Gregory Goyle.

The frown wasn't directed at her and when he did look at her his face slipped into a more neutral face.

"Watch your step, Weasley-girl."

Ginny stared at him in mild surprise. The name was not said out of any particular malice and Ginny quickly scanned her memory for any time that he had actually insulted her. She failed to fine any. Mostly he just stood behind Draco and scowled menacingly.

"Thank you," she finally blurted out.

He smiled, the barest flicker of his lips and Ginny nearly gasped. Gregory Goyle might be dimwitted (an impression she was quickly revising) but when he smiled he was handsome. Not Draco's sharply aristocratic handsome, but still handsome.

"Not me you should be thanking," he said before shoving his hands into his pockets and turning away.

"Then who do I thank?" Ginny demanded of him as he left.

He looked at her over his shoulder. "I think we both know."

Ginny stood there for a long time after he left. Goyle definitely wasn't as stupid as he let on.

(A/N: I think I'm back for real now. I have a new computer, a new set of digs and hopefully a new job. Cross your fingers on that one. Any way, I'm hoping to update once a day and as you can see, i'm trying to stick saturdays and possibly sundays in as well. Also, I'm winding down on several of my fics which means new fics to come!


	2. And the Other Makes You Small

Chapter Two

And The Other Makes You Small

Draco was trying very hard to get the damn song out of his head. Three of the Slytherin girls had gotten obsessed with Muggle music recently and they had come back from Summer break full of songs to torture him with. The worse part was, the songs were so damn addictive. He couldn't get enough of The Beatles.

The one that was bothering him by being stuck in his head actually seemed bizarrely apropos for his love life. Probably why he kept singing snatches of it.

"The best thing 'bout tonight's that we're not fighting," he murmured as he bent over the potion.

"What are you doing in here?"

Draco spun, feeling slightly guilty. Ginny Weasley stood in the doorway, potions bag over her shoulder. Behind her, Harry Potter stood, looking for all the world like he wanted to be anywhere but here. The scene was strangely familiar until Draco remembered that Ginny was tutoring during this time period and that Potter was her mentee.

"Just working on a potion," Draco finally managed.

She looked skeptical for a moment then nodded. She walked over to another table and began to set up, walking Potter through the motions.

Secondhand Serenade continued to torment Draco through the hour lesson as he worked on his own potion. He nearly screwed up many times but managed to keep himself on the ball.

Finally Potter's lesson ended and Ginny let him go. Alone with just Ginny, Draco was suddenly tongue tied.

"What?" Ginny asked.

Draco started, feeling mortified. Had he really just voiced one of those lyrics? Apparently he had.

He turned fully towards her. "I'm not good with words, Ginny. So I'm going to borrow someone else's for a second and tell you this."

He took a deep breath. "You always thought that I was stronger. I may have failed, but I have loved you from the start."

Ginny stared at him with those wide brown eyes.

"Draco...I can't do this now."

"Why not?" he demanded.

"Because..." she began then doubled over in pain.

Draco was at her side in an instant. He pulled her into his chest, holding her tightly. She remained tense but somehow he knew it was the pain and not her discomfort around him.

He was suddenly aware of how good she felt in his arms. She fit perfectly and he wanted nothing more than to bury his head in her hair and have her hold him back.

He almost laughed at how feminine he sounded. He had never thought he would be one of those guys but here he was.

Ginny finally relaxed but pushed him away.

"What was that about?" Draco asked softly.

Ginny shook her head. "It was nothing."

"Right, 'cause that's always how nothing manifests itself," Draco drawled with just a touch of acid in his voice.

Ginny snapped a glare up at him. "I didn't ask you to interfere."

"You don't have a choice here, Ginny."

"And why is that?" she spat.

"Because I like you," he said. Occasionally people get caught in the moment and say things they mean but didn't mean to say. This was not the case. Draco knew exactly what he was saying. He met her eyes and stared down into them as they began to mist with tears.

"I like you, Ginny. And I'm not going anywhere."

Ginny shoved him away. "You stupid prat!" she cried and ran from the room.

(A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I went away for a bit there but I'm back! Nanowrimo status: almost 8k words! Wicked far behind, but still in the running!


	3. And the Ones That Mother Gives You

Chapter Three

And The Ones That Mother Gives You…

Ginny lay on her side, curled into a ball and whimpering into her knees. The pain in her chest was excruciating. She knew what it meant and she hated that.

Wonderland was calling and it would not be ignored.

Something serious had to be wrong back there, she thought. Even when Alice was trapped there, the summons were never this strong or violent. While Alice was there, it had just persisted as an itch deep in her chest, a pull in her stomach.

This was something entirely different. This was…wrong.

The pain subsided and Ginny relaxed a little. What did it mean? She knew she would have to go back but what did she face when she got there?

Ginny rolled to her back. She knew she had to go back. She wouldn't bring Luna or Alice in on this one. Alice especially did not need to go back.

No, if she was going, she was going by herself.

She suddenly sat up. Why not now? Christmas break started in two days. She could miss two days of classes and no one would notice. Maybe Luna or Alice but They wouldn't think it odd. She often went home for break. Just because Ron wasn't didn't mean anything.

She felt a trickle of pain caress her chest again and made her decision. Who knew how bad the summons would be by Friday?

She threw off her covers, glad for once that her roommates were such heavy sleepers.

She pulled off her night gown and shimmied into a pair of well worn jeans. They were a little tight on her hips and she resolved to see if Mum could fix that or if she should start pilfering jeans from Ron again. Of her brothers, his were the only hips wide enough that she could easily steal his jeans. Ginny greatly enjoyed teasing him about that.

She grabbed a tank top and her faded green overshirt. She paused for a moment, smiling at the shirt. It seemed so long ago that she saved her best friends. Now here she was running back to the very place she had just come from.

She pulled the tank top on then slipped into the overshirt.

Quietly, she slipped into the bathroom. She stared at the mirror there. It was full length and she smiled at herself.

She pulled the pen knife from her pocket and flipped open the blade. She paused with the tip of the sharp knife at her palm. For some reason, Draco Malfoy rose in her mind.

She hesitated, looking at herself in the mirror. She couldn't deny the attraction she felt for him. She didn't want to love him but she did.

The knife quivered in her hands and she felt tears running down her face.

__

What is with me?

She thought angrily. But she knew the answer.

Even as she reached out and touched the mirror with a now bloody hand, she admitted two things to herself.

She loved Draco Malfoy and she knew the girl she was right now was not going to be the one that came out of Wonderland.

Ginny let the tears run down her face as she stepped into the mirror. The girl she was mourned for the innocence she knew she would lose and the love she might never have.

(A/N: Sorry for the no dialogue part. still, hope ya like it!


	4. Don't Do Anything At All

Chapter Four

Don't Do Anything At All…

"No!"

Alice sat up, tears streaming down her cheeks as she sat in her bed.

"Alice?"

She looked over at her sister. "Luna…" she sobbed.

"Alice? What is it?" Luna asked, putting her arms around her sister.

Alice shook her head into Luna's shoulder. "I don't know. I just have this really bad feeling."

"Does it have to do with the calls?" Luna asked.

Like her sister, Luna had been feeling the calls from Wonderland. Neither girl knew whether Ginny had been feeling the calls but they assumed she was.

"I don't know…"

"What does it feel like?"

Alice looked up at her sister. "That's just it. I don't feel it any more."

888

Draco woke up in a foul mood. His tete a tete with Ginny had frayed on his temper and he wanted to take some first years and use them for target practice (by which he meant throwing them off the wall and see if he could catch them before they hit the ground. Some would die, but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.)

Unfortunately, Ginny was sure to find out about that and be pretty pissed.

He sighed and got dressed. He looked at himself in the mirror before he went out. His hair was getting long again and he made a mental note to get it cut in the near future. Unless Ginny liked it long.

Merlin, was he really that bad? He couldn't possibly be. He just...he liked her. That was it. Right?

He turned from his reflection in disgust and nearly missed the shimmer that crossed the glass. Surprised, he turned back to the mirror. His normal reflection stared back at him. He narrowed his eyes and the reflection did too, but a fraction of a second later.

"Well that can't be good," he muttered.

His image smirked at him then leaned forward. Draco watched as it blew on the glass on its side. Then with a finger, it began writing in the condensation.

_She's ours._

Draco stared at the message, confusion warring with dread. He had an idea who the guy was talking about and he wasn't pleased. His reflection grinned and drew a female stick figure on the glass. He very deliberately added dots across the cheeks and Draco felt his fingers curl into a fist. All his previous protestations slipped from his mind.

He grabbed his wand and directed it towards the glass in an angry slash.

The mirror cracked, the cracks coming together to form words, his own reply to the challenge.

_Not if I can help it._

His reflection scowled at the message. Draco pressed his wand to the mirror and muttered a quick charm. His reflection shimmered then reverted to what a mirror should really be showing.

Draco scowled at himself through the words he'd etched into the glass. Whether he liked Ginny or not, he would be damned if he let Wonderland take the girl back.

And to do that, he had to go see Alice and Luna.

(A/N: I hate this chapter. Just kidding. I did hate it while I was writing it. It took me way longer than I wanted to and it isn't even that long. (sighs) Oh well. I hope you guys like it.

To Hi: Glad you like my writing even if you aren't a DG fan. Thankfully we aren't all the same. I mean, how boring would life be if that were the case?

To : Glad you like it! I haven't seen the original Disney Alice in Wonderland in like five years but I still remember the entire Mad Hatter scene.


	5. Go Ask Alice

Chapter Five

Go Ask Alice…

Ginny sat up and studied her surroundings. She knew Wonderland too well to think she was anywhere else. Despite being back here, she felt well rested and comfortable.

"Hello, Alice."

She looked aroound til her eyes fell on the speaker, a red rose with a pretty girl face.

"I'm not Alice," she said.

"You are now," the rose said.

Though she knew the rose didn't know what it was talking about, a shudder ran through her.

8()8()8

"What do you mean you don't know?"

Alice had faced off against the Red Queen countless times but the coldness in Draco's voice sent a chill up her spine.

"I haven't seen her all day," Alice replied.

Luna nodded in agreement.

He looked between the two of them and scowled.

"Fine. Then send me to Wonderland."

Alice gaped at him. "You...you_ want_ to go there? Why? And for god's sake, why?"

"Because he thinks Ginny is there," Luna replied.

Alice looked at her sister then back to Draco. "Why do you think that?"

"You think I haven't tried conventional methods? Weasley nearly took my head off but confirmed that no one's seen her. Locator spells aren't working either. So let's recap. If a locator spell can't find her, what does that mean? Oh, that's right, it means she isn't on this realm of exsistence. Now who do I know that could send me to another one?"

"You don't know for certain that she's over there," Alice pointed out.

"I don't know that she isn't."

"We can't just go sending you to muck around in alternate universes without some idea whether she's there," Luna said.

"Fine. Open a portal. I'll do a quick locater spell. If it points to the portal, I'll go in and get her. If not, I'll apologize and be out of your hair."

Alice really didn't want to open a portal. She hated Wonderland now and she wanted to stay far away, in case the place got any ideas and tried to pull her back in.

Luna slipped her hand into her sister's.

"We don't have to," Luna whispered into her ear.

Alice shook her head. "Something is going on over there. I don't know what it is but I get this feeling that it has to get taken care of."

"Then you'll send me?" Draco asked, fixating on the one part of the conversation he cared about.

"Yeah," Alice replied. "We will."

(A/N: Dun dun DUN! Seriously having too much fun with the cliffies here. It should be illegal.

To James Birdsong : Thanks! Super glad you like.


	6. When She's Ten Feet Tall

Chapter Six

When She's Ten Feet Tall…

Draco's head was killing him. He lay on his back, wondering for a second why his bed felt like grass.

_Oh, right, because I am lying on grass,_ he thought, opening his eyes and staring at the sky above him. Colors swirled around the vista. He obviously was in Wonderland. The shapes and hues he was seeing could only exsist in some abstract painting, not in real life.

He slowly got to his feet and pulled out his wand. What he'd said to Luna and Alice was true. Every spell he'd done on their side had no result.

He put his wand on his hand, turning it until the tip was facing him.

"Point me," he said.

For a moment the wand did not move then it turned until it faced somewhere to his left. He started in that direction.

Why do I need her? he wondered. Why do I have this burning desire to hold her, protect her? It just wasn't fair, he thought. A girl like her could never love him. Even if she could, it couldn't possibly be the way he loved her.

Shit, he loved her.

He stopped walking and stared down at his wand which was still pointing in the same direction. "I love her," he muttered experimentally.

The world did not explode. He didn't drop dead and he didn't burst into flames.

"I love her," he said louder. "I love her." This time nearly a shout.

"That's good to know."

Draco spun and nearly fainted when he saw Ginny standing behind him. She was scowling at him, her pretty face contorted with anger.

"I should have known you wouldn't listen to a damned word I said," she said, her voice thick with annoyance and something he couldn't place.

"Hey."

"Hey? You disobey everything I've ever tried to drill into your _thick_ head and all you have to say is _**HEY?**_"

"Wait just a damned minute, girl. What the hell are you talking about?"

"YOU should NOT be HERE."

"Yeah, and neither should you. Besides which you never once said that."

"I don't know how much clearer I could have made it!" she shreeched.

"You didn't say a word that sounded anythin' like that! If you didn't want me to come then you shouldn't have made it so bloody clear where you went."

"I did nothing of the sort!"

"What the hell do you think I was going to think when I couldn't find you with a locator spell. I even went to fucking Granger!"

That surprised the anger out of Ginny. "You went to Hermione? What happened?"

"She had that goon of a brother of yours break my nose and did the spell for me. Then your brother thought I had done something to you when Granger couldn't find you so he broke my nose again and gave me a black eye. Granger was nice enough to heal them both for me."

"And then what?" she asked.

"What do you think? I went to see Luna and Alice. I practically blackmailed the two of them but they agreed and sent me here."

"Oh, I'll kill the both of them!" she said vehemently. He rather believed her. He was also hoping this meant he was off the hook.

She turned her glower on him. Apparently her was still very much on the hook.

"Don't you even think that this gets you in the clear. You are still in a lot of trouble."

"I thought girls were supposed to fall all over themselves for this heroic shit," he said.

She rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Draco. Let's get you home."

He smiled at her back. "The best thing 'bout tonight's that we're not fighting," he whisper/sang.

(A/N: Hello all! Sorry for that little delay there. LIfe is annoyingly good at getting in the way. Oh, to give proper credit- Draco's 'point me' spell is actually borrowed from Tiny Q's story Painting an Oyster. I read it while I was writing this chapter. And the suff Draco sings at the end of the chapter is another quote from "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade which I brought in earlier.


	7. And If You Go Chasing Rabbits

Chapter Seven

And If You Go Chasing Rabbits…

"Will you just tell me where the damned portal is?"

Draco thought about it for a moment then shook his head. "Sorry, Ginny. I don't know."

She gave a shriek of annoyance and threw her hands into the air.

"You're killing me!"

"I'm pretty sure Luna and Alice closed the gate after I was through."

She extended her hands to him like she was ready to strangle him but before she could say anything, something flashed behind her. He reacted instinctively, tackling her and bearing her to the ground, his wand out and trained on the approaching forms.

"Shit!" Ginny gasped when she too saw the card soldiers approaching. He cast a few spells at them then leapt to his feet, dragging her with him. They ducked behind a tree and waited a moment. Ginny began searching her pockets.

He handed her the spare wand he always kept. "I thought we were finished with them."

"Apparently not," she said angrily.

"Does this mean..."

"Don't go there," she snapped and twirled around the tree. He followed her lead, firing spells at the cards.

"STOP."

Draco gasped as the power, raw and angry, grasped him in a vice. He couldn't have moved if he wanted to.

A man, tall and handsome walked into the clearing.

He was a little shorter than Draco but since Draco towered at six three, this wasn't hard. He was dressed all in black with long black hair. In fact, if his nose had been hooked, he would have looked just like a young Snape.

"I appreciate the gesture, but I'm not a threat to you two."

"Who the fuck are you?" Ginny asked, for once echoing Draco's own feelings.

"Sorry, darling Rose. Your exploits are so well known that I feel like we should have met already. I'm the Black King."

"Who?" Ginny and Draco asked at the same time.

The Black King laughed and the spell holding them broke. Draco kept his wand out but lowered it.

"You've met the Red Queen. I'm her opposite."

"You're her enemy?" Draco asked.

"I am," he said.

"Where the hell have you been?" Ginny asked. "You let her take Alice and run amock in Wonderland."

"I'm inclined to agree with Ginny here," Draco said. "If you're her enemy, why have you let her come back?"

Ginny gasped and looked at him then to the Black King.

"Are you serious? What...what exactly are you saying?"

He sighed. "The Red Queen is back."

(A/N: Short chapter, I know. And I apologize. But I wanted to introduce the Black King.


	8. And You Know You're Going To Fall

Chapter Eight

And You Know You're Going to Fall…

Ginny paled and Draco slipped a hand down to her lower back, ready to catch her if she fell.

"This isn't possible," Ginny said. "We destroyed her."

"You know better than that," the Black King said.

"I'm inclined to agree with Ginny," Draco said. "Unless she's immortal, that's not possible and no one's immortal."

The Black King suddenly winced, as if something had stung him. Or he was offended by how stupid he thought Draco was being. Draco wasn't sure which he preferred.

"The Red Queen is capable of coming back," Blackie pointed out.

"And who says Ginny has to be the one to take her down?" Draco asked. "Unless I'm wrong, everyone has choices. And hey, why don't you try your hand at killing a monarch?"

Blackie did not look pleased. "Only Lady Ginevra, only the Rose Queen can destroy the Red Queen."

"What about the Lily Queen? Or the Violet Queen? Who's to say those two couldn't take her down?"

He noticed Ginny was smiling at him. He suddenly wondered if he was overstepping his bounds here, by running this fight for her but he figured she'd beat the hell out of him if she thought he was.

"Only the Rose Queen can do this," Blackie snapped, sounding really put off by now. Draco felt a smirk draw his lips up and from the corner of his eye he saw Ginny's smile widen.

"Says who?" Draco asked.

"I do. If my word is not enough, the Red King, March and Hatter all agree. You are the only one."

"March hates me intimately. Hatter hasn't been heard from in decades," Ginny said.

"And where has the Red King been?" Draco asked. "Seems to me that he should be keeping track of his wife, don't you think?"

"He has been busy."

"Too busy?" Ginny gasped, all amusement stripped from her face and replaced with shock and outrage. "The Red King has been much too busy to keep his homicidal wife from killing people? That's so sad."

"You must take her down," the Black King repeated.

"I must do no such thing," she snapped.

"Yes you must!"

Draco punched him in the throat. "Look, ass hole, God gave people the power of free will. The way I see it Ginny has two choices. She can stay here and kill your damned Red Queen, over and over until she dies or something finally stops the Red Queen once and for all. Or she can come home with me and be my queen."

It took Draco a moment to realize what he'd just said. He glanced at Ginny. She was smiling as if she'd just seen her favorite things paraded before her for her enjoyment alone.

"I'm inclined to agree with Draco here," she said, looking at the Black King who was on the ground, choking a bit.

"The Red Queen will always rise again. THere is no reason for me to be the one to take her down this time. I killed her last time. I've done my job. See you later, King," she said.

She turned and swept away, her long red hair swishing as she went. Draco glanced at the Black King and flicked an eyebrow up with a smirk. "Ciao," he said.

He turned and trotted off to catch up with Ginny. He fell into step with her. They were silent for a few steps.

"Did you mean it?" she asked.

"The queen bit? Yes. It's a lot harder to lie when you're talking so fast," he said. "I didn't think about it too much. I kinda just said it."

"Okay."

"That's it? I all but confessed to liking you and you say 'okay'?"

She giggled. "I do like you. I don't know why but I do. By all rights you and I should hate each other."

"I don't particularly hate you."

"I don't hate you either."

"So where does that put us?"

"We can try. Give it until the end of the year. You'll be graduating. We can see where that puts us. I like you, Draco. God only knows why."

"I've been having Greg and Vincent follow you around all year."

"I know," she said. "Why?"

"The war is over...but there are a lot of Death Eaters around. I want you safe. I accepted that a long time ago."

"Thanks. I...I like that."

"You aren't the only one," he said. "Pansy and Daphne have been watching Granger and your brother. Theo and Blaise have been keeping an eye on the others."

"But you hate them."

"They love you and you love them," Draco said.

She smiled. She slowed her pace. He walked closer to her. Her fingers brushed his. He twitched his and let his interlock with hers. They walked along, both smiling.

(A/N: So. Not much to say. We FINALLY get some DG action here. :3


	9. Tell Em a Hookah Smoking Catepillar

Chapter Nine

Tell 'em A Hookah Smoking Caterpillar…

"So how are we getting out of this?" Draco asked after they'd been walking for a little while.

Ginny, still holding his hand, gave a little sigh. "We're going to have to make a portal."

"How do we do that?" he asked.

"Well, we need a mirror."

"I can do that," he said, pulling out his wand.

"You can find us a mirror?" she asked.

"I can make one," he replied with a little smile. He let go of her hand, reluctantly and turned to the nearest tree. He tapped it with his wand and muttered a spell. The bark shivered then turned into a full length mirror.

"Wow. That's impressive," Ginny said.

"Only magic my Mum ever taught me," he said.

Ginny fell silent and Draco knew she was probably thinking about all the things her mother had taught her. He wanted to know.

"Did your parents teach you anything cool?" he asked.

She smiled at him. "Why don't we continue this conversation later, when we're not-"

She broke off, grabbing Draco by his shirt. She stepped forward then he dropped like a rock. He lay on his back, staring up as Ginny dropped down on top of him. For a second he had the fantasy that this was her not so subtle way of saying 'let's get it on!'

Then he saw the arrow streak over them. "This can't be good," he muttered. "Know if defensive spells work around here?"

"Be my guest," she said, getting to her feet. He rose with her, already casting a shielding spell. THe next arrow struck his shield and hung there. There was the hiss of steel and Draco looked over to see Ginny had a sword out. He did a double take, realizing she was dressed in full battle armor, chainmail with a white tunic, embroidered in roses. Her hair, which had been down, was suddenly up in a ponytail.

"You'll have to teach me that trick some day," he said.

She smiled ever so slightly. "I wish Luna was here."

"Why's that?" he asked.

"She knows her way around a bow. Can you see who's shooting?"

Draco looked around. "No," he said, even as another arrow struck their sheild. He followed the trajectory back. "There," he said, jerking his head towards a copse of trees.

GInny nodded. "Can you hold the sheild?"

"As long as you like, Princess," he said.

She flashed him a breathtaking smile. She pulled her own wand and flung spells with rapid fire quickness. They were mostly remdial spells but judging from the screams of pain, they seemed to be doing pretty good.

"So, what now?" he asked as another three arrows struck his shield.

"The mirror?" she began.

An arrow suddenly came from their left and struck the mirror, shattering it.

"Ginny, my princess, I get the feeling that someone doesn't want us to leave."

"What makes you think that?" she said sardonically. He chuckled, expanding their sheild.

"So, how do you plan to get out of this life or death situation?" she asked.

"I have an idea," he said. "You know any safe place around here that we can go to?"

"There's a lake, about three miles away. I have some...aquaintances out there."

"Friends?"

"Of a fashion," Ginny said with a look that told Draco it would be a bad idea to discuss this further.

"Okay, then I'm going to need your help with this."

"With what?"

"We're going to Apparate," he said.

"But you ca't Apparate somewhere you've never been," she protested, throwing another spell.

"Maybe you can't. But you've been there, right?"

"Draco, this seems like a really bad idea."

"It'll be fine," he lied. He really had no idea if this was something that was even doable but what the hell? You only lived once, right?

"Just trust me," he said. "Think about that place by the lake. Think about it as hard as you can."

"Okay," she said. She took his hand. He closed his eyes and prayed. Then he Apparated.

(A/N: Yes, yes it is a cliffie. (runs and hides)


	10. Has Given You The Call

Chapter Ten

Has Given You The Call…

Ginny, eyes closed, stumbled against Draco and he put his arms around her. She inhaled deeply, smelling the sharp tang of open water. She opened her eyes.

"Well that's a first," she said.

"When I'm good, I'm good," he said.

"Thank you," she said, going on her toes. Before she knew quite what she was doing, she kissed him.

Someone whistled. _Oh, shit_, she thought.

They broke the kiss. Ginny looked over at the water with a sense of dread.

A man stood in a small dingy as his comrade rowed him towards the shore. Behind them, in the center of the lake was a pirate ship.

"God help us," Ginny muttered.

"I take it these are your acquaintances?" Draco muttered to her.

"Ugh," Ginny groaned.

"ALICE!" the man in the dingy bellowed. He was dressed like a pirate, from his tattered top hat to his jacket and knee high boots. Ginny winced but turned fully to face him.

"It's Ginny," she said. "Always has been, Hatter."

"Hatter?" Draco repeated.

"Yeah," Ginny said. "_That_ Hatter."

The dingy had reached the shore by now and Hatter hopped off and scooped Ginny up in a hug.

"Mind letting go of my lady friend?" Draco drawled. "I'm getting rather fed up with fending off competitors."

Hatter looked at him and then set Ginny down. "Who's the fellow, Alice?"

"Ginny," she corrected.

"Ginny? What a strange name for a guy, Alice."

Ginny looked at Draco who was smiling a bit too brightly. He really seemed to be enjoying this.

"My name is Ginny, Hatter. This is Draco. Do you still have a mirror on the ship?"

"Mirror? Heavens no. Though I do have a looking glass."

"That will do. Can we borrow it?"

"Of course, Alice. I could never say no to you. But I'm afraid I must say no to young Mr. Ginny here."

"Hatter!" Ginny admonished.

"It's quite all right for me to bring Alice onto the ship," Hatter said. "It's another entirely to bring a foreign man onto the ship."

"Hatter, we don't have time for this," she said.

"Now if you were one of my crew, that would be a different matter."

"What would I have to do as part of your crew?" Draco asked.

"Row us to the ship!" Hatter bellowed.

"Aye, aye, Captain."

"You really don't have to do this," Ginny said as Hatter hopped back into the dingy.

"Something tells me that playing along will expiate this. Now," he began, getting into the small boat himself.

Ginny moved to get into the boat herself but Hatter pushed it off and the other man started rowing.

"HATTER!" Ginny roared. "What do you think you're doing?"

Draco had fallen over at the sudden movement of the ship and looked at her over the edge as they rowed further onto the lake.

"Just going to have a word with our young Mr. Ginny on my own," Hatter hollered back. "We'll come back for ya when it's all sorted."

"Hatter! Get back here this instant!"

"Ta, love!"

Ginny stood on the shore, watching the trio row towards the ship. "I'm going to kill that man one of these days," she muttered. She sat down on the shore of the lake and waited.

(A/N: I had so much fun with Hatter that it should be illegal.


	11. To Call Alice

(A/N: Just to remind you, Hatter thinks Ginny is Alice and that Draco is called Ginny.)

Chapter Eleven

To Call Alice…

Draco folded his hands around his left knee, lacing his fingers together as the other man rowed them in dainty circles just outside of the ship.

Across from him, Hatter leaned back against the bulwark and studied him with equal scrutiny.

"You sit like a girl, Ginny," Hatter said. "I never fancied my Alice would go for a girly boy or I would have tried harder."

"Oh, so you like her," Draco mused.

"Of course I do. What sort of a silly question is that?"

"Just making an observation. But you know she's not really Alice."

"Of course she is."

"What color is her hair?"

"Yellow," Hatter replied instantly.

"Really?" Draco looked pointedly at the shore where Ginny sat. She was just a blur of color from here but it was quite obvious that her hair was red.

"Yes," Hatter said. "She tried to change the color but I know her when I see her."

"Huh, that's interesting."

Draco reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small compact. It had been a gift from his mother and it always showed whoever he wanted to see. He flipped it open and focused on his mother. She came up. In the compact she was arguing with someone, probably his dad. They did that a lot.

He held the compact out to Hatter. Hatter's eyes lit up.

"See, there's my Alice!" he said confidently.

Draco focused on Hermione Granger. He felt the compact grow warm and knew it was now showing the Gryffindor.

He studied Hatter's face. It never changed. "You see how she changes her face and hair but I know her when I see her," Hatter insisted.

Draco cycled through a few different girls he knew and Hatter's expression never wavered. Finally Draco put away the compact. Hatter was certifiable.

"Then you'll help me and 'Alice'?" Draco asked.

"Of course," Hatter said.

"Why? Don't you know we're going to leave Wonderland?"

"Oh, I'm sure she'll be back. She always is."

"What do you know about the Red Queen?" he asked.

"She's dead," Hatter said.

"The Black King seems to think she's going to rise again."

"Really? Do you know what that means?"

Draco wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"MEN!" Hatter bellowed. "To arms! We go to war!"

"That's nice," Draco said. "Can we go pick up Gi—Alice? I think we should just get out of your hair. Wouldn't want to mess up your war."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Hatter said. "I need Alice to help me with my war."

Ginny was not going to like this, Draco thought.

* * *

Alice stood, staring at the mirror. In it, she could see Hatter and Draco talking. She couldn't hear them but she didn't need to. Hatter hadn't changed. Still crazy.

"What are you going to do?"

Alice jumped and turned to face Neville. Her boyfriend smiled apologetically.

"I didn't mean to startle you," he said. He came over and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm not going to do anything," she said.

"Sure you aren't. What did they call you in there?"

"The Lily Queen," Alice said.

"Did you like it? I mean before the whole kidnapped thing?"

"What a silly question. Of course I did. I was a queen. Everyone did what I wanted them to. We could make whole worlds in there. It was like being gods."

"Do you miss it?"

"No. I had fun but I'm too old for that sort of game."

A horrible thought occurred to Alice then and she recoiled from it. She couldn't help but think that maybe this whole thing in Wonderland...maybe it was their fault...

(A/N: Yes, Alice, it was your fault. But more on that later. :3

To Guest- Well I certainly plan to write more. Hope you like!


	12. When She Is Just Small

Chapter Twelve

When She is Just Small

Draco had guessed right. Ginny was not happy.

"Hatter, if you want to launch your own war against the Queen, that's just fine with me. But we are leaving," she said, snatching Draco's sleeve. "Ta."

"But Alice!" he whined. "I need you!"

"That's nice. I'll be sure to let her know when I see her," Ginny sneered.

"We need to go back," Draco said. "Alice and I have to get reinforcements."

"Yes!" Ginny said. "You're right. We need to go get help. Now please let me borrow the looking glass."

"We don't need reinforcements," Hatter said.

"Yes, we do," Draco said.

"I have Alice," he said.

Draco grabbed Ginny's arm. "Not anymore."

He closed his eyes and concentrated. There was the familiar tug of magic and he heard birds singing.

"Where are we?" she asked.

He opened his eyes. They were on a grassy knoll, one he recognized. THey were still in Wonderland.

"This is where Luna brought me when we first came here."

"Shall we try the mirror trick again?" he asked.

"I have a better idea," she said and her lips were on his.

He was surprised but he returned it, closing his eyes and leaning back against the tree. He drew her into his lap and held her as they kissed.

Shock coursed through him suddenly and he pushed her off him.

"What did you do with Ginny?"

SHe looked at him from where she lay sprawled. He surged to his feet and pulled his wand.

"What are you talking about?" she asked but there was no confusion in her voice.

"Shit. Who are you?"

She rose to her feet slowly, dusting off her pants. "I thought you would like that, kid. It hardly takes a genius to see you're obsessed with her."

"Yeah, and if it were her I'd be halfway down her pants by now. YOu are not Ginny."

"How did you know? I'm usually pretty good at this," she said.

"Stop pretending to be her."

"Sorry. Can't."

There was a crack then she was gone. "What the fuck," Draco snarled. He turned to the tree and cast the mirror spell. It was time to call in the calvery.

8()8()8

"Miss Lovegood?"

LUna, who was still trying to catch her breath, looked up at Snape who was giving her the snake eye.

"Is there a reason you just screeched like a banshee?"

"I...uh...have to go to the bathroom."

He scowled at her. "Fine. Make it fast."

She scampered to her feet and out the door. She was going to kill Draco Malfoy.


End file.
